do you like the things that life is showin' you....

I've been in the woodshed sharpening my skills. I realized something awhile back and blogged about it, but the funny thing is I don't think I was convinced when I wrote it.


Anyway, quick synopsis. Specialization is a modern trend. Masters are never specialists. Stars are. Most "heroes" are. But masters are not.


Eventually I want to be a master. I'm not going to forget that again.


In the meantime I'm back on the original blog host because I was paying for something that I wasn't able to get the most out of.

And finally, here's a picture that will seem random to most but profound to a chosen few.

t.

I'm social. Really I am...

Originally posted May 11, 2009



it's just that I'm really modest. I sincerely believe that I'm interesting but I also believe that I'm a little biased in that respect. What is a man to do? Well since IMO action is the remedy for most everything, maybe I should just blog more. Since this blog is more for the strictly photographic side of my life I have started another that caters to my alter ego. The technology geek who reads an average of a book a week, shoots 1000x times the amount he posts, started cooking at the age of eight and still has a vinyl collection that he's listened to fairly recently.


If you get the chance check me out over at http://oftenamused.blogspot.com/ .

It's a mix of everything that I am and a touch of what I wish I could be.


TC

I know somethin about somethin. I think?

I am a techie. Since I was little I've been able to spend just a little time with most any device and instinctively know how it works. I love gadgets, electronics and most things that beep, chirp and chime. I was kind of bummed that Circuit City fell the way they did. Not necessarily for the store itself because the customer service was consistently poor across the chain (in my experience). More for the fact that it's one less place to push buttons and turn knobs.


For all gear heads that have The Knack, there has been a great disturbance in the force.

Still. There is Best Buy.

Do you know the way to ...

Sentimentality is something that's usually not clearly associated with men. At least most won't admit it.


Think about it though.


Men have favorite fishing spots, favorite burger joints, favorite cars,  lucky t-shirts, socks and coins. Each of these things have sentimental value, but are not labeled as such. It's tricky advertising to say the least.


Well I'm admittedly sentimental. My basement is a testament to that. I have comic books from my teen years, record collections, old Bibles and notebooks, poems and songs I've wriitten, several musical instruments and tons of photos. Funny thing is, I'm going to throw most of it away.


It's time to move forward. Time to let go of things not associated to now, or at least the direction I'm headed. The "stuff" in my life has anchored me to this place. I've seen days go by and the dreams I've always had go with them. I've heard songs I should have written echoed in words to my children. I've read words I should have penned in every blog/email/book I see. I told myself when I graduated from High School that I was not going to be a shoulda, woulda, coulda person. Shoulda listened to myself.


I am truly blessed to have the life that I do, but i see clearly that the train I call my life is moving forward, I'm getting on it and not looking back.

Happy Birthday to Ya!!!

5 years ago I remember sitting in a hospital room staring at the ceiling (long story) letting the word Daddy run around in my head. My Dad set a pretty high standard for loyalty and responsibility so the task was a little daunting. Actually if we're being open it was kind of scary. Someone was going to come into this world relying on me to teach them how things worked, give suggestions on what type of boy/man/person to be and demonstrate how other people should be treated. These things are the least that a parent should do for their kids, IMO. With that said I figured I would trust that God never gives you more than you can bear so I dove in. 

5 years later I realize that I know only a little more now than I did then. I have a hunch that my kids are smarter than me, but I'll keep up the charade as long as possible. I also realize that my wife is a natural at the child rearing thing. I'm a benchwarmer, a useful diversion for the children at times, jungle gym, disciplinarian and story-teller at other times. I wouldn't trade it though. Kids will humble you in ways that make you question yourself if you let them. And I'm sure that I'm better for it.


My 5 year old, KC, has been asking for a super hero party since last July. His mom being the resourceful woman that she is found some resources for mask and cape making (which we spent many hours tracing and cutting) and then proceeded to make a gluten-free chocolate cake from scratch with fresh strawberry icing and hand decorated it. Don't hate on the gluten free cake in all it's Spider-Man glory (pictured below). I found myself gnawing on my fingers to get every bit of frosting off. All in all it was the party of the century, all of the little super-tikes had a blast and he'll remember it forever.

Gluten Free Goodness

Our Brave Young Hero

His faithful sidekick.

I'm so grateful that I've been given the opportunity to guide such a loving, mature, thoughtful, artistic and dependable little boy through life. If you ever get the chance to meet him consider yourself blessed.